This past weekend my mom came from Connecticut to visit which was great because visitors to me screams restaurant time!!! This is when I head to Open Table, Travel & Leisure and Food & Wine for recommendations in my area. Her visit prompted me to finally try the Bedford Village Inn right outside Manchester. Now we all know I’ve bitched and complained about the food around here, in fact, I’ve been waiting for a meal at a restaurant around here that really was satisfying…well ladies and gentlemen! I’ve found it!

There are a number of reasons I absolutely will be making the BVI my “go-to” restaurant in my remaining months here in New Hampshire. One, of course, as mentioned the quality of food. Nothing was over-salted (cough cough Firefly cough), undercooked or bland. The second reason is actually the main reason I love this place: they have three different restaurants in the Inn and regardless of where you eat, the tavern, the restaurant or Corks, the wine bar, you can choose from any of the three menus. So if you want a more contemporary feeling place with lounge type music but want the high end food from the main restaurant you can. Or if you want a cheese platter while dressed down in the tavern, you can! There is also a great wine list. Corks, which I said before, is the wine bar set up at BVI and it was great. They had Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc by the glass which is EXACTLY what I was looking for on a hot Friday like last week.

I also felt like I had walked into any restaurant in DC walking into Corks. It most reminded me of Veritas in Dupont which is a fantastic wine and cheese bar I would highly recommend down there. It’s definitely a “hidden gem” as you’ve probably driven past it 100 times and just never knew it was there. I digress! To the food! My mother had a veggie pizza that was to DIE for, and I ordered their bamboo steamed shrimp and scallops that came over lo mein noodles with a somewhat spicy soy sauce on it. It was so good. I would recommend this place to anyone having to visit the Manchester area. So happy I finally found a place where I KNOW I’ll get a good plate of food!

Just when I thought I had probably the only good restaurant meal I’ll have in Manchester, we found Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier on Saturday after some retail therapy. Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier is over the water in Kittery Point, Maine and it is the quintessential place to have lobster! As you can see, even Travel & Leisure Magazine agrees!! You eat at picnic tables, wear Lobster bibs, and BYOB. It is THE best way to experience lobster– here’s the little sucker they made mine:

This was the sweetest, most succulent lobster I have ever had. It doesn’t even need the drawn butter! And seriously, if anyone tries to tell you lobster is best in a restaurant, they are clearly out of their minds. The ONLY way to eat lobster is at a picnic table, fingers covered in shell and a mug of beer next to you. End of story. So if you have a chance, get to Chauncey Creek, its absolutely unreal. Dang it now my mouth’s watering!

Okay, since we’re talking shellfish, let’s talk this week’s Top Chef — since I’ve already written a novel on those 2 restaurants, I’ll make my summary quick. Here goes:

Crab Quickfire challenge = awesome because everyone knows the best place to get lobster is (well duh) Maine, crawfish is NOLA, and crab is MURALAND (that’s Maryland for all you non district readers).

Fresh Farm Market elimination challenge = also good because of the amazing fresh farm markets DC has to offer… HOWEVER they traveled to Virginia for this one. Yeah, adds to the beef I have with this season (pun, INtended).

Amanda still drives me nuts, I’m still angry Nelson is gone, and now the Maryland homeboy has been axed. I’m pretty sure I’m still right though about Tamesha soooo keep an eye on that.

Well thanks for reading! Until next time, sicuro viaggi and bon appetit!